Chancellor's Parashah Commentary

Parashat Eikev 5762
Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25
July 27, 2002 18 Av 5762

The second paragraph of the Shema, derived from this
week's parashah, begins by emphasizing the importance of these
two concepts: hearing and listening. The text states:
Vehayah im shamoa tishmau, If you will earnestly heed the
mitzvot I give you this day (Deuteronomy 11:13). Is it
possible to heed without being earnest?

The words shamoa tishmau seem to be redundant. They are
both forms of the Hebrew root shin, mem, ayin; shma – meaning
to hear. But, what is the significance of saying it twice?

Throughout the Bible, repetition of words typically
connotes emphasis. But why is hearing emphasized? The prayer
preceding vehayah im shamoa tishmau also starts out with the
word, shema, but there is no repetition in that case. It is
only said once, shema yisrael (hear O Israel).

I want to suggest that the repetition of the root shma, is
demonstrative of our partnership with God. Its function is to
illustrate that in a relationship, even with God, we not only
hear God, but we wish to be heard as well.

Hearing and being heard involves engaging in a partnership
with God. That partnership is strengthened with ritual and with
commitment. Most importantly, we hear with our faith and we are
heard with our actions. Rabbi Louis Finkelstein, z"l, the
Chancellor of The Jewish Theological Seminary from 1934–1972.
used to say, that when he prayed, he talked to God. When he
studied, God talked to him. He was hearing and being heard.

There is a poignant story of a young child who says her
prayers nightly before going to bed. During the week of
Hanukkah she adds a special plea to God for a new bicycle as a
gift for one of the eight nights of the celebration. All eight
nights of Hanukkah come and go, but no bicycle. Her parents ask
her if she was disappointed that God did not hear her prayers.
The young girl replied, "God heard my prayers, God just said
no."

This story illustrates a partnership between the child and
God. The child understood that God's not answering her prayers
according to her requests does not mean God did not hear her.
Hearing is not judged on whether we receive the answers we are
searching for. Hearing is listening to the answers, whatever
they are, and trying to understand them.

As in many things in life, it is the small things that
make a big difference. Two Hebrew letters, when joined
together can make one colossal word, Alef and Mem. Im. Im is
understood as if – and "if" takes us to the notion of choice.
Choice is the issue here. Choice between doing or not doing,
hearing or not hearing, listening or not listening.

If you earnestly heed the mitzvot I give you this day,
to love Adonai your God and to serve God with all your
heart and all your soul then I will favor your land
with rain at the proper season, in autumn and spring
and you will have an ample harvest of grain and wine
and oil.

Take care, lest you be tempted to stray and to worship
false gods. For then, God's wrath will be directed
against you. God will close the heavens and hold back
the rain; the earth will not yield its produce.

(Deuteronomy 11:13–17)

Choice, as it is presented in the Shema, is the integral
connection between human beings and the Divine. We are not
simply dealt cards and told to play with them. We choose many
of our cards. And, it is how we choose to play them that make
all of the difference. Divine messages will not necessarily
be shouted at us every moment of every day. But, if we
listen, sometimes we can hear the whispers and then make
choices. The directive of the shema is to state loud and
clear just what God is asking of us; to be God's partner.

Maimonides teaches in his Code (The Laws of Teshuvah, 5:1–3):

Free will is granted to every person. If a person
desires to follow the good path and be righteous,
he/she is free to do so and if they desire to follow a
path of evil and wickedness, likewise he/she is free to
do so. This constitutes a fundamental principle and
pillar of the Torah and its precepts. The Creator does
not force God's will on any person, or pre–ordain
him/her to do good or evil, rather the choice is
theirs.

The choice is ours.

The Shema is a complicated prescription for life, chock
full of challenges. Promises are made as reward for
partnership with God. Threats are stated as chastisements for
lack of compliance. But, ultimately, there is nothing to be
negotiated without the pre–existence of a partnership.

There is an English reading in a popular prayer book
found before the Shema prayer. It goes something along the
lines of: If a person goes to a sports game yet his/her
mind is on business, they hear but they do not really hear.
If a person goes to synagogue and thinks the rabbi's sermon
is addressing someone else, they hear but do not really hear.

My prayer is that our hearing and listening will
constantly become more acute so we really hear and that "if"
becomes "when" and our hearts and souls are united in service
to God.